Xenosaga: Heart's Delight
by gigglymexicans
Summary: Jr. is in search of a lost love from his childhood, recalling his memories of a painful past. What will happen as their journey continues where it left off? Will they find his brothers, his girl, AND Lost Jerusalem?
1. Chapter 1: Memories

**Note: **_I wrote this years ago when I was in 8th grade, so bear with me. I'm trying to improve it :3!]_

The sun was setting and the new air was warm and sweet. They were traveling what was assumed to be a completely empty galaxy, missing all the things they'd come to know and love floating around out in outer space. It all just seemed so much bigger now, more spacious and majestic with out all of the planets and stairs and whatnot taking up room. They had just set off on a new journey: to find chaos, KOS-MOS and Lost Jerusalem, Earth, the homeland of the human race. They were all a little anxious about seeing where they as a whole had originated from.

As of now, it was just Shion, Allen, Jr., and the crew of the ship they were flying on, the Elsa, which consisted of Captain Matthews, Hammer, Tony, Professor and Scott. They had just left Juli, Ziggy, MOMO, Alby and the rest of the surviving gang at the Dämmerung, Headquarters of Vector Industries, in hopes of somehow managing to find what they were looking for on their own.

So far the story goes that after the Immigrant Fleet left Lost Jerusalem, the planet suddenly vanished. Since the disappearance of Lost Jerusalem, the Galaxy Federation had moved it's capital four times. The Ormus cult considered Lost Jerusalem to be a Holy place, due to it's history with the Zohar. There had been dozens of attempts to to rediscover to ancient human capital, but all were failures from the start. In the Proto Merkabah super-facility, there was a holographic star map; chaos commented on a large "uncharted" hole where Lost Jerusalem was supposedly located.

After defeating Kevin, they went to Wilhelm, who stood alongside the large Compass of Order. He intended to create the Eternal Recurrence, which would mean all life forms of the universe would relive the same lives over and over and over again in order to stop the universe's destruction. After they fought Zarathustra itself, Wilhelm was defeated. Mary Magdalene, the blue-eyed KOS-MOS and KOS-MOS' real "black box" awakening into her true nature, and chaos, otherwise known as Yeshua in his human life, decided that they must restore the power of the world in order to stop both the Eternal Recurrence and the universe's destruction.

KOS-MOS sacrificed herself in an explosion, which was itself the transformation of the universe. Abel received chaos' power of Anima, and chaos then performed a dimensional shift that sent Abel, Nephilim, the Gnosis and the Zohar to Lost Jerusalem. Although chaos believed he would disappear with the release of his power, his consciousness lived on, as the consciousness of the universe still desired his existence. He still remains the failsafe of the universe, as he and KOS-MOS will exist once again on Earth, in their homeland of Jerusalem, waiting to become one with their past selves and fully restore their powers of Anima. There, they will create a new history for mankind. At this moment, space and time had warped. All U.M.N networks had disappeared, but were rapidly reappearing in an odd manor.

The Elsa had escaped the time warp and met up with the Dämmerung. Jr., Shion, Allen and the crew of the Elsa set out on their own, leaving the rest behind on the Dämmerung. They were off to find the new world and make all right for the future that was to come.

The sun, in it's new state, was shining; warm and glistening on Shion's skin. The air smelled sweetly of flowers and was heavy in her lungs. She inhaled slowly, letting the deep, fresh air fill up her lungs, and swiftly exit, leaving a fruity taste in her mouth. She smiled as it brought back memories of candies she would enjoy as a child. Yet something was bothering her. She pulled herself out of her memories and glanced around, noticing something was missing. "Allen?" She dropped his hand. "Where's Jr.?"

Allen kept his eyes ahead, on the impossible sunset off in the broad horizon. The sky overhead was lightly painted with hues of orange, red and yellow. The Elsa always had the most beautiful views. "I think he's in the Mens Cabin. Why, what's wrong?"

"He's been in there since we departed from the Dämmerung. He seemed to have something on his mind, don't you think?"

"He did seem a little distracted."

"I'm a little worried. Did you notice how odd and hesitant he was acting before we left, especially towards MOMO?" She chewed on her pinky nail, and old nervous habit of hers she'd broken back into since she'd lost her pedant; her touchstone. She realized what she was doing and quickly slapped her hand back down to her thigh. She turned to face Allen.

"I did."

"Since females are restricted from the Mens Cabin, would you go and check on him for me, please?"

"Of course," he smiled at her, unable to deny any request she gave to him. The love he had for her was burning anew since the confrontation with Kevin.

Shion reached up and kissed him on the cheek as a reward. His cheeks burned where her lips had brushed and his heart melted; their first kiss, in a way. She smiled, shaking her head at the door for him to go.

Now greatly encouraged, he headed for the Mens Cabin with no time to waste. He was in a blissful daze. The door silently slid open once the scanner read that his male DNA was confirmed.

He found Jr.

Jr. was laying up on his bed, legs to the floor. Under his hands, which were on his chest, was a picture turned upside down. He was breathing very slow, even breaths, causing the picture to wave up and down with the motion of his lungs. He was facing up to the ceiling, eyes closed. He was wearing everything he'd had on previously, minus his jacket, exposing his slim arms in his gray tank-top.

Allen tried to be subtle when approaching him. Knowing the boy in front of him, he could spring up at any moment. "Uh, Jr."

Jr.'s crystal blue eyes snapped open. He shot up where he was and slid the picture under him as if he never had it. "Oh, uh, hi, Allen." he cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "W-W-What're you doing here?"

Allen shot him a confused look. "Well, I sleep here, don't I?"

"Yeah, but you're not tired yet, a-are you?" Jr. was fidgeting with his hands. "It's not even dark yet. Why don't you take the Master Bedroom with Shion or something, huh?" He let out an uneasy chuckle.

Allen crossed his arms over his chest and sighed. "What's up, Jr.?"

"W-What do you mean?"

"Well, you're all jumpy and stuttering, which is usually my job. And that picture you had…"

"What picture?" He snapped.

"Allen moved towards Jr., reaching his arm out to grab where Jr. had stuffed the picture in a failed attempt to hide it. "The one you've got under–"

Jr.'s arm jerked to Allen's position all too quickly for Allen to see or avoid. Jr. grabbed his wrist probably harder than he meant to, but Allen remain calm about it. "Jr., please let go of my arm.

He hesitated, looking at his arm clamped on Allen's, unsure of what he'd just done out of pure impulse, but he released his arm. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Jr. sat with his legs spread and his elbows on his knees. His head was hanging down between them. He let out a big breath.

Allen took that as a yes and sat beside Jr. "What's the picture of?"

Jr. slowly lifted his ruffled redhead and reached for the picture, showing it to Allen.

It was old, taken fourteen years ago on Old Miltia. There was Albedo, Nigredo and Jr. in front of a fountain outside of the Yuriev Institute. The three boys were in their regular blue uniforms. Allen was about to comment on it when he noticed that in between Nigredo and Jr. was a _girl_. She had hair the same color of Jr.'s, very shiny and extremely long with four bows holding it back in a ponytail that went to her ankles. Her eyes were two candy-pink swirls that danced, even in a still picture. She had the gorgeous face of a pixie-angel, a smile fit for a Queen and a body made for sin. Her outfit was a pink form-fitting, short, turtleneck, sleeveless dress. It was a really short dress. She wore very high pink Go-Go boots, which began not long after her dress ended, showing only some of her thighs. That surly wasn't a problem for oogling boys; everything on her was _tight_. Their arms were slung around each other, their smiles bright and wide. Except that one of Jr.'s arms wasn't around the girl. He was holding her hand, his expression like he had everything he could ever have right there with him in that picture, in that moment.

"A…girl?"

"Yeah. That was us fourteen years ago. Her name was Monica." Jr. looked down at the photo – or more specifically, at _her_ – as if he saw the world in her eyes. "We were all about twelve when we first met her, but she was fifteen. And she'll be fifteen forever," he sighed. "How was I supposed to know what love was, with me being a tool of war and all? I didn't think I ever would until I met _her._" He paused. "Her adoptive mother and Dmitri were old friends apparently. Monica's title was an E.F.V.D; an Enchanted Female Variant Defender. Her job was to protect the three of us at all costs, make sure we did our job and and assisted us. I can clearly remember the day we met her, and she was definitely _enchanting_…"

* * *

><p>"No way. Dad wouldn't do that," Albedo shot back at his brother. He, Nigredo and Rubedo were all lounging around the institute. Dmitri had told them days before about a surprise he had for them. It had them all on edge. They kept tossing around ideas of what it could possibly be. Albedo was up on a counter, one leg hanging down and the other up near his chest, the other arm on his knee as he tossed a red apple up and down. Nigredo laid lazily across a nearby couch, Rubedo pacing back and forth.<p>

"Well, he _did_ hide our own sister from us for most of our lives," Nigredo said.

"Yeah," Rubedo snickered. "But Citrine wasn't much of a surprise if you ask me."

They all laughed in agreement. Albedo then flopped back against the counter, his back making a light _thud_. "What could it _be_ then?" He moaned this as he squeezed the apple in his hand. "I'm starting to hate surprises."

"Children?" Dmitri called, coming around the corner to them in his calm and certain demeanor. There was a woman with him, one they'd never seen before. She was about the age of their father, her brown hair having light gray scattered here and there with a sweet yet serious face. As she neared they could see that her eyes were not the same color; one blue eye, one green eye, and you just _knew_ they'd seen a lot. "Sitting around? Very unusual for you three."

"We were just wondering about that surprise you told us about." Nigredo spoke very calmly to his father.

"Pondering, were you?" He cooed, shoving his chin up in the air.

"You made us curious," Rubedo shrugged. "We hardly get surprises any more."

"Ah, yes. Speaking of that, this is Yuna, an old friend of mine." As he said this, the woman next to him, Yuna, smiled and slightly bowed to the boys.

"She's our surprise? What, is she going to be like our _mother_ or something?" Albedo spoke up and wrinkled his nose. Yuna giggled and Rubedo elbowed him in the ribs. "_Ow_, Rubedo!"

"Be polite," he growled under his breath to his twin. Nigredo sighed, shaking his head.

"No, not quite. Yuna is not your surprise." Dmitri smiled and turned to face the hallway of which they came in from. "Her daughter, however, is."

"Her…_daughter_?" They all three said slowly and perfectly in sync in equal shock and confusion, turning to look around the corner.

They heard a clicking sound. It was the same clicking noise they heard when Citrine was coming; the sound of heels against the hard floor. It helped to alert them to hide from her to avoid confrontation. But it was not Citrine. Following the sound was a pair of legs, a body, and a face. It was _definitely_ a girl, nonetheless. She walked very _alluringly_, shall we say, moving her legs and hips just so to make the boys feel like every inch of them was a live wire on fire. Their mouths were dropped open, eyes wide and glued on her – oogling her as if she were a delicious snack.

"Wonder what Dad brought _her_ to _do_," Albedo whispered to his brothers. Nigredo shushed him, while Rubedo just watched, too hypnotized to function at all, or even elbow Albedo again for being rude.

"These three dazed twelve-year-old's are my sons. They are your new responsibility, if you wish to accept it." Dmitri nodded at the three very aroused boys. "I must warn you, they're a bit of a handful. Each of them, clearly, has their own unique and individual personality, mind, and will, though disobeying their father is most certainly _not_ in their favor, as they know."

"Hi," her smiled melted Rubedo's heart. Her voice smoothed over his ears like a chorus of angels singing his very own personal symphony directed by God himself, giving him chills. "I'm Monica."

"I'm Nigredo," he took her hand and gently shook it.

"Albedo," he cooed seductively at her. She giggled at his attempt to impress her on a 'charming' first impression.

When her eyes fell on him for his turn for an introduction, only her awaiting angelic face snapped him out of his trance; knowing that she was waiting on _him_. "Oh, uh, hey," Rubedo sort of bowed, taking her hand and kissing it like a gentleman. He figured he better make the best first impression of the three if he ever had any hopes of standing out. He felt oddly selfish of her. "I'm Rubedo. It's a pleasure to meet you."

She raised an eyebrow, smirking.

"Monica will be your new protector. She will be staying here at the new facility if she chooses to take the job of watching over you three." Their father explained.

"A babysitter?"

"Not exactly, my dear son."

"You mean like a _girl_ bodyguard?" Albedo nearly whined. "We can take care of ourselves perfectly fine – no offense, Monica."

"Yes, well, Albedo, you must learn to _listen_ before you _speak_, my son."

"Monica is virtually indestructible. As far as we know, she is one of a kind, a very special being," Yuna smiled at her daughter, like any proud mother would. They all felt a ping of jealousy flash over them. They would never get to have the sensation of a mother looking at them with such adoration.

"What is she?" Nigredo asked, backing away a little from Monica.

"Do not worry. She is of no harm to you."

"Is she what we are? Or a Realian or android?" Albedo eyed her. She didn't look like anything abnormal, but then again, anything can be deceiving on the outside these days.

"I'm human," she smiled, and exposed her perfect, white teeth. Of course. Was there anything about this girl that _wasn't_ perfect? She was a complete Mary-Sue!

They gasped. "A human that's indestructible? How is that even _possible_?"

Yuna put one hand on her daughter's shoulder and whispered something, though who could pick up on it did not understand what she meant bu her words.

"The-?" One body tried, but was cut off.

"Why don't you all get a little bit better acquainted with one another while Yuna and I discuss things for a moment? Excuse us." Dmitri retreated the room with Yuna.

"You look older than twelve," Albedo crossed his arms over his chest and eyed her again.

"I am, trust me," she said under her breath, knowing that she was well over the age that her body presented her as. "I'm fifteen. Just three years older."

"So…you're going to be living here?" Albedo moved a little closer to her.

"I guess so." She smiled, her arms going out and coming back to slap against her legs.

"And…protecting us?" He circled her, sizing up every perfectly proportioned inch of her, just like his brothers were.

"Yeah."

"You know," he took her hand in his and began to kiss up her arm. "I'm _much _more charming than my two brothers."

"Is that so?" She humored him.

"Albedo!" Rubedo smacked the back of his twin's snowy white head.

"No it's fine," She took her hand back, looking deep into his pellucid cobalt eyes. "I get that a lot."

"I bed you do," Rubedo said, suddenly horrified at what had just slipped out of his mouth. "Oh, uh, I mean because you're so fine. NO – UH, no. Pretty. I meant pretty. Yeah. No, no, wait, no. Not that, I mean, not that you aren't fine. Because you are. Or pretty. You're _very_ pretty. I mean, more than pretty but…" His hand found it's way to it's usual spot on the back of his neck, rubbing it nervously. By this time, the others in the room were giggling at Rubedo's expense. "Um… you know what I mean, right?"

She was still giggling when she responded to him, nodding. "Right," she eyed him up and down, approving. "Same for you, Rubedo."

He froze again.

"Monica, dear?" Yuna called softly, sticking her head around the corner. "Come on. We have a lot to talk about if you'll be staying here and taking up the job. You can see the boys all you want later."

"So, I'll see you later?" Rubedo asked like a sad puppy as she began to back away. He instantly felt stupid. Of course he would. Yuna just said so.

"Since I'm going to be living here now…I guess so." She smiled nervously. "Bye Rubedo. Albedo, Nigredo. Rubedo." She turned to fully leave, making haste.

"_Damn_," Albedo whispered as they all watched her leave, nearly drooling. "She said your name twice, Rubedo. She's all yours."

"Mine…?"

* * *

><p>"We got real close, all of us. Always together, basically inseparable. She didn't exactly tell us about her past or even what she fully was and why she could never die. I…started to fall madly in love with her, of course – who couldn't see <em>that<em> coming? But…imagine my surprise when I learned she loved me back. Me, a monster. But then Sakura…well, Monica didn't know what to think about the whole Sakura thing…"

* * *

><p>Monica and Rubedo are outside of the institute on a bright and shining day, warm and lively, Rubedo having just told her about Sakura and what he and his brothers were to do in order to properly try to communicate with her. Monica was silent the entire time he was talking, and even after he'd stopped. She was just looking at him, arms crossed tightly over her chest as she stood in front of the pouring fountain. This was <em>their<em> special place.

"Well…what do you think about it?" He was getting a little scared with her being so silent and still. He was expecting her rage, or something of the sort, to come bursting out of her any second.

Monica shifted her weight to her other foot and looked down. "Well, I don't know what I think about it."

"Why?"

"Because I just don't…like the whole idea of it," her voice was slow and a little strained.

"Don't tell me you're jealous," he teased.

She let out a hard, single laugh; _HA_! "Of _her_? Please, Rubedo. I know better than to be jealous." She put her hands behind her back, innocently, and stepped forward until she was leaning forward, right in front of him, inches from his face. "Just don't _you_ go falling in love with her or anything."

He took her impossibly soft hands in his. "Aw, c'mon, Monica! You know you're the only girl I'll ever love."

She laughed.

"I'm being serious!" He couldn't help but smile at her unsuccessful attempts and looking blasé. "You're the _only_ girl for me, I can say that with guarantee at my young age because I _know_ it. And I promise that it will stay that way forever. I'll love only you. Not Sakura, not anyone. You're…the only one who has the key to my heart." He started giggling on the last of his words, not realizing how _cheesy_ they were to say, especially for him.

Monica, laughing at this, slipped one of her hands out of his, letting it to go her forehead. She was about to become dramatic. "Oh, Rubedo! You're such a charmer! Such a sweet-talker! If something were to ever happen to you…oh, how will I ever go on?"

"Shut up," he growled, pulling her close into him for a kiss, smiling on her lips.

* * *

><p>"Well…not long after that," Jr. went on, his voice beginning to shake a little as the thoughts came rushing back to him, "they figured out a way to allow Monica into Sakura's subconscious domain with us, just to test it out to see if it would work – a one time thing. It worked and we had to locate the fear that was obstructing her ability to communicate normally like you and I do. Her fear was…U-DO, or something like it…"<p>

* * *

><p>Rubedo, Nigredo, Albedo and Monica are in a rural area. Above them a few others is a large, pulsing pink-ish orb in the air. The standards were closer to it than they were.<p>

Rubedo's fists clenched together. "So this is…the fear that Sakura holds."

"Mmm, I don't like this." Monica stared at the object. She didn't like being here at all, in general. But, she was happy that, at least, she didn't have to actually _see_ that Sakura girl. She started to hate her from what Albedo had been telling her. Their hatred grew in common of the other. Even the thought of her…

A wave came out and traveled in the air behind Rubedo. Nigredo caught sight of it first. "Look out – behind you!" He swiftly twirled to be back-to-back with Rubedo, blocking off the attack.

Two came at Albedo and he avoided them carefully. "Gah, what is this thing?" Another one came, which he kicked.

Not wanting to waste anymore time or chances of being hit, Rubedo decided to cut to the chase. "Ready? Let's spread out and take care of this."

Nigredo pointed a finger at the standards. "Rubedo, look!"

The four standard U.R.T.V's were very close to it, staring up at it, completely dumbstruck. They were backing away at a speed of slowness unknown to them. One U.R.T.V spoke up: "The waves…the waves are coming." The blonde boy sounded very small and frightened.

"Hey, w-what're you talking about?"

Waves, presumably the ones he was previously babbling about, came from the floating sphere and struck the standard U.R.T.V's as they tried to run away. One nearly escaped, but was hit, and began to cry out in pain and terror as his life was stolen from him.

"Oh, they've been infected. But…we're not even in the U-DO simulator!" Albedo whimpered, backing away, mouth agape. His fearful tendencies had become a norm to them, but they always kept him close by in a fight, in a challenge, to try to toughen him up.

The infected U.R.T.V's came up to the boys and Monica, who were all ready to fight – all except for Albedo, respectively. She stepped in front of them, pulling out her guns, aiming. She fired away without hesitation, her guns never stopped shooting for a second. Those that were knocked out but still alive were attacked with kicks and punches from the boys, trying to knock them out cleanly enough to try and be recovered upon returning to real life. It was Monica who got Rubedo into guns, teaching him everything he knew.

Once defeated and safe, they all started walking back, but Albedo was staying behind, kicking a body that had strayed away. They turned to look at him. He had the U.R.T.V by the collar, choking him and beating him up, screaming, "I told you to leave Rubedo alone. Variants aren't monsters! You guys are just weak!"

They rushed over to Albedo and the unconscious U.R.T.V. Rubedo put a hand on his brothers shoulder. "Stop," he told him, and Albedo obeyed, turning to look at Rubedo, who drew his hand back calmly. "You'll kill him."

Albedo sort of gasped, shocked at his brother. "Rubedo…?"

But they all turned to leave him, walking off without another word, leaving him there. They were unsure of what to do or say next, so retreating was best for everyone. Besides, they had to hurry and get back to report this to Dmitri and Yuna before the standards died. Albedo got off the body and watched them leave. "Don't look at me like that! _RUBEDO_!"

* * *

><p>Later, they were all outside the Institute, in their little garden area where they sometimes when to relax and talk. Albedo is facing with his back to Monica, Nigredo and Rubedo, fidgeting his feet with his hands behind his back, looking sheepish and guilty.<p>

That guilt, of course, washed away as she felt them watching him. "_What_?" He turned his head.

Rubedo bucked up to him. "What were you _thinking_? Number 623's badly injured!"

"Huh?" Albedo turned his full boy around to them, putting his hands behind his head. Completely carefree with no conscience whatsoever. "Is that what this is about? All he's gotta do is regenerate – what's the problem?"

"Re…_generate_?"

Albedo produced a blue sphere in the palm of his hand. "Regenerate," he said, holding it to his neck. Monica's eyes grew wide, figuring she knew what Albedo was about to do. "Like this." Blood splattered on the ground and a nearby sign as he blew his own head off. They drew back and screamed bloody murder. Monica curved herself into Rubedo, who held her, eyes still focused on Albedo as his headless body stumbled around.

As Monica peeked, his head _formed back_. "Impossible…"

"See?" Albedo groaned and popped his neck into place several times.

Rubedo's hands curled up into balled-up fists, his teeth grinding together. He released Monica and screamed, "You _idiot_!" before socking Albedo right in his face.

Albedo stumbled back on one foot before falling to the ground with a "Nnugh!" escaping his lips. Nigredo and Monica held Rubedo back from doing anymore damage. "Don't you _ever_ pull _anything_ like that ever again! If you die…you can't come back to _life_!"

Albedo stared at them, his eyes the size of the burning sun. He gingerly touched his face where Rubedo, who had never before struck him like that, hit him. It throbbed profusely. "You mean…are you saying…you can't regenerate?"

Rubedo broke free of their hold. "Of course not!"

"Nobody can," Monica chimed in lowly.

Nigredo's calm voice added onto Monica's words. "That's…a special ability only _you_ possess."

Albedo was clearly getting upset. "Only _me_?" He began to cry. They all, even Rubedo, loosened up. "You're all gonna die? And leave me behind?" She sniffled, unable to control his emotions, or the tears that were about to come pouring out. "_Nooooo_!" Albedo struggled to get up and run to Rubedo, wrapping his arms around his torso, pulling him down to his knees. Albedo sank down with him like he was nothing. By now, Albedo was wailing and bawling. This, however, even for Albedo, wasn't normal. "I don't wanna be alone! If you die, I wanna die too!"

Rubedo watched his other half, his separated younger brother, who was once conjoined to him at the heart, sob on his chest. "Stop it. Don't say things like that. Now you're making me sad too."

As the two brothers comforted each other, Nigredo backed away, feeling out of place as always. He was never as close to them as they were alone – he never could or would be. How could he _ever_ be? They were once a _part_ of the other, that bond being inseverable, even though their hearts were. Albedo continued to cry. "Rubedo, _don't leave me behind_!"

Monica went to Nigredo, sensing how he was feeling left out. She grabbed his hand, showing him that he wasn't as alone as he thought. With that, he smiled, and felt maybe as Rubedo and Albedo did. After all, Nigredo and Monica _were_ close. They often talked about intellectual things, told each other secrets. She was there for him when no one else was. She helped remind him that _he _was their brother too. Content, they went to them.

As soon as she got close enough, Albedo switched to Monica, dragging her down just as he did Rubedo. "Please, _please_ don't leave me! I can't…lose either of you! You all have to stay with me! I can't be alone!"

Monica hugged him and kissed the top of his head. She acted as a mother to them, but mainly for Albedo. "Shh, Albedo. It's okay. Honey, it's okay. It's all okay, don't cry. You won't be alone. You'll never be alone."

"I won't?" He looked up at her through teary eyes and sniffled.

"Of course not. We'll stay with you." She looked up at Nigredo and Rubedo. Her voice was asking, pleading in a way, instead of making it a predominant statement. It sound rather sad too. "Won't we?"

* * *

><p>"Then one day, Monica said she had to go. She told Albedo she'd see him again, since he'd grown so unstable. He started taking to Monica as a mother figure since he found out he couldn't die. She said goodbye to Nigredo and said something I couldn't quite hear that sent shock sweeping across his face. She did the same with me, and then she just…left. When I thawed out of being in total shock, I chased after her before she got too far. I caught her by the arm in front of the fountain – <em>our<em> fountain, where we had our first kiss. She wouldn't stay or tell me why she had to leave. She apologized and told me to…whistle if I needed her, which I did. Said it was a tradition in her family. I gave her…my other earring, so she wouldn't forget me. She said she wouldn't without it, but took it anyway. I promised her I'd find her again one day. Then I kissed her good and long and she left me forever.

"When she left, I lost a part of me. A big part, really. See, Monica is my _soul mate_, or at least _I_ think that. I can see now she clearly didn't…but it's fate for us to be together. It just _has_ to be. But when she…just…_ditched_ us, I slumped into a deep depression. I was slacking horribly, barely working. I felt completely numb and meaningless. I had a huge void in my life – _in my heart_. Sakura…Sakura just filled the void. I knew I promised her that I wouldn't…but I just thought of Sakura as another, younger, brunette, imperfect Monica. Nothing more, really."

"Wow. I…I never would have guessed."

"I've never told anyone. Nigredo and Albedo never spoke of her. Well, I'm sure they did, but they knew better than to do so in front of me. It would upset me so much. All these years, I kept her my secret, locked away in my heart."

Allen looked down at the picture again. "She must be so much more beautiful by now."

Jr. chuckled. "No, she never ages, remember? Something else she never explained to us. She's frozen mysteriously at fifteen forever. But…I'm sure she would be."

"Are you going to tell Shion and the others?"

"C-Can we keep her just between us? Just for tonight?"

Allen put a reassuring around around Jr. "Of course, Jr."

Jr. weakly smiled and stroked the picture. "I miss that _so much_. I'd give anything to go back to that time, that day. When we were all close…the war hadn't happened…Nigredo was alive…Albedo was okay…and we had _her_."

"You really miss her, huh?"

"You have _no_ idea, Allen." Jr. let out a hard cackle.

"Do…you want to find her?"

"More than anything, Allen."

"Alright," he stood up. "I'll do my best to help you find Monica. You have my honest word – as a promise."

Jr. stood up, folding he picture and putting it into his back pocket. Surprisingly, he moved to hug Allen, slowly at first. "Thanks."

That night, Jr. dreamed of the night he and Monica had their first kiss.

* * *

><p>It's nighttime. The stars as shining and the lights are on dimly, setting the surroundings to a romantic, blue mood.<p>

Monica had been there a long while by this time and they'd all gotten very close, but Monica and Rubedo never spent any _real_ time alone together, and the attraction between them was hard to ignore any longer. When everyone else was asleep, they decided to sneak out and walking around, properly getting to know each other 'a little better' in private.

They walked out, heading for this fountain. "Dmitri seems…a little uptight," Monica said.

Rubedo chuckled. "You have _no_ idea. He won't even let us really leave the institute unless there's a war going on."

"A war?" She turned to him. "Seriously?"

He nodded, a little embarrassed, blushing bright red.

"You've never gone out?"

"Not really," he said. He knew exactly what she was going to ask next – just a lucky guess – and decided to go ahead and give her an answer now. "I've never been to the city when it wasn't exploding or on fire."

She laughed, unbelieving. "You've _got_ to be _joking_! Really? You've never been?"

"Nope," he let his mouth pop on the 'p.'

She was still airily giggling. "Okay then. I'll take you."

He stopped walked dead in his tracks and drew back away from her. "_What_?"

"I'm going to take you into the city one day. When the supervisors are busy doing research, reports, meetings or whatever it is that they do, you and I are going to sneak out and I am taking you out."

He thought about it. As much as he hated the thought of being caught and punished for disobeying his father and going off campus, he wanted to finally go to the city with Monica more. "What will we do?"

"Oh, I don't know…I'll take you shopping…and get you some real food to eat – anywhere you want, as much as you want. Eat until you're about to explode! I'll take you to see all the buildings and shops…ride the train and the ships to different places…let you drive as long as you don't kill us. Just…whatever you want."

"Whatever I want?" He smiled excitedly. He felt like a child, but Rubedo didn't care.

"Mhm. Yuna will let us. She'll give me oodles of cash and let us roam around for hours and hours and hours." She gasped, taking a hold of Rubedo's arm. "Maybe I can even get her to get Dmitri off your back and let you go without us having to sneak out! Then maybe all four of us can go – you, me, Albedo and Nigredo!"

He paused. "She'd do that?"

"Of course," she returned the smile. "Yuna spoiled me as if I were her own daughter."

That sparked a bit of curiosity in Rubedo. "So Yuna isn't your real mother?"

"No," she said without missing a beat.

"Who is?"

She laughed. "How should I know?"

"You just don't want to tell me." He stopped walking, looking at her. He was only playing, and thankfully she knew it. "Do you?"

"I honestly…don't know." She crossed her arms and swallowed back something she wanted to say. She figured she better change the subject fast. "Do _you_ know _your_ real mother?"

Rubedo sighed and started walking again. She had hit real close to home on that one. "No." They reached the fountain and took a seat along it's edges. He sat with one leg down, one curved up to his chest. He rested one arm on that knee, his face buried in it. "What could we say to whoever our mother was? '_Hey, nice to meet you, I'm one of your 669 bio-weapon designer sons_?' Or, '_I don't know if you remember me, but you have birth to me and over six hundred of my brothers a while back_?' Yeah, right. Who would want me as a child anyway?"

Monica put her hands under his chin and lifted his head up to hers. She chose her words carefully. In this very moment, her heart was absolutely throbbing for him. _Throbbing_ and burning. She made her voice sound as smooth and sweet as she could off the waters behind them. "Any mother who would deny you as her child is _not_ a real mother at all. Rubedo, you're the most _amazing_ person. Everything about you can be adored by anyone. You're the most fascinating, incredible, angelic boy I'll ever know. And for anyone to say any different…to not want you…should be a _sin_ or something."

"R-Really?" He asked, leaning in a little bit. He'd never done this before, but he figured he knew enough about it to wing it. "You really think that? That I'm not just…a weapon? A killer?"

"Of course not. Granted, that what your father designed you for…but you're a variant. You have a brain, and a hear and a will. You're an individual – a _human being_, Rubedo."

He turned his head away from her, his hand in a tight fist. "Ugh," he groaned. "_Yes_, I'm human. I have a brain that can think, I have a will that can decide and a heart that can beat. But so do you. So does Albedo and Nigredo. I'm…" He tightened his fist so that now the skin around his knuckles was turning white in protest. "I _am_ a weapon, a took of war. I'm a _monster_." He growled the last word, as if it was evil or some sort of deadly disease.

"A mon-? No." She couldn't even finish the word, and brought his face up to hers again. It was so relaxing and romantic, being there alone together. "If you _ever_ say that you – a beautiful, kindhearted boy – are a monster, I will seriously hurt you. I mean, do a _lot_ of bodily damage to you. You are _not _a monster, okay? You're a wonderful person. You're fun and loving and funny and sweet. Everything. Harsh and tough sometimes, sure. But a…? No. You're much more. You're an _angel_." She hesitated on her last words. She took his tight fist into her hand. She lifted his hand to her mouth and softly kissed it once, and it uncoiled, all the blood beginning to flow again. Her body then forced the words out: "_My_ angel."

"An…angel?" He smiled, trying not to laugh. He kept his eyes on their hands. "No one's ever called me _that_ before."

"Well, I just did."

"Monica…" He was unsure of how to say what he needed to say to her. Right here. Right now. Tonight. "I…"

She shook her head and whispered so softly it was almost drown by the sound of the water. "I know…Rubedo. I know…"

He tried this again, leaning in closer, completely sure that he was going to do it this time. She stayed put, watching him, her eyes closing just like his. Once their lips connected, everything else melted away.

It started out harmless, an innocent first kiss with all the sparks flying and blood racing in their veins, hearts beating and pumping against their rib cages, breath quickening and becoming sharp and almost painful. But then something happened. The mood shifted and their blood started to _boil_. They pressed harder against each other, hands going up and down their backs, in and out of their hair.

Rubedo was suddenly overwhelmed with an odd feeling he'd never felt before. A surging rush of…well, he didn't know what was mixing in with the pulsing blood in his veins. He felt on fire, like every part of him was beyond the point of burning and throbbing for her – for _more_ of her. He was digging his fingers deep into the open part on the back of her dress, into her skin, clawing to bring her closer, like they were magnets and the feeling between them was the attraction that forced them together. I didn't hurt her, but she gasped at the sudden sensation. He captured his sigh with her mouth and leisurely started to grab her legs and hike them up atop him. She moved with him until she was straddling his waist. Letting out a low moan, he tilted his head back in euphoria of the sound. Together the fell back into the fountain.

They lay there for a while on their backs, first getting all the laughter out of themselves. Their feet were hanging out of the fountain, and they kept it that way the whole time, hoping someone might walk by and think they're dead and run away screaming. They splashed around until Monica began to shiver. She then curved herself into him and lay there in his arms in the water, gazing up at the sky and talking. That's something they could always easily do. He trusted her with all that he was, and just bluntly told her everything, even if he didn't want to.

"What're you thinking?" He lifted his chin off of her head, watching her wondering face as it analyzed the sky. He was on the left of her; memorizing everything about her face.

"Just trying to find a constellation in the stars," she whispered. "But I can't see anything here."

"Maybe the sky has a defect in it," he teased, his hand finding it's way to hers, playing with her graceful fingers, kissing the tip of each.

"Possibly," she yawned.

He kissed the stop of her head and stroked the top of her hand with his thumb. Her skin felt like silk. "I can tell you're tired. Come on, we'll go inside. I don't want you to get sick from being out here too long." He help her up, the water rushing off of them like a powerful waterfall before dying down. "I'll keep you warm."

He was happy, because _she _was happy, but she was afraid he, not her, would get sick from the cold. She couldn't get sick, but she kept that withheld from him, as well, for his sake.

This night was the first of many in their blossoming relationship.


	2. Chapter 2: From Time

**Chapter Two.**

Jr.'s eyes reluctantly shot open at the overhead sound of the Captain's voice. He couldn't yet make out what was being said, but it was loud enough to disturb him from his delightful slumber. Luckily, the lights were out in the cabin, so his groggy eyes were not burned by bulbs. As his vision focused, he decided to lay there for a moment and stare at the ceiling, letting his body catch up with his mind which began to race. Thoughts of Monica rushed his brain, memories pouring back in. It was both pleasant and torturous at the same time. He was hoping the amount which he missed her would have decreased by speaking of her, letting some of his resolve out at last, but it seemed to only have made it worse.

Sighing, he pulled the weight of his torso to an upright position, slightly hunched over as he stared at his hands in his lap. His thoughts—his own voice in his head—was silent. All that remained in his mind were silent images, movies almost, of his happiest memories, which tore at every heart-string he had. Everything he'd gone through in the past two years had kept him just busy enough to where these thoughts weren't overwhelming his every moment of every day. Now that it had slowed down, even for a little while, they resumed their previous positions. Every time Jr. had a silent moment, a calm in his life, they returned to crush his heart. He always stayed busy to avoid it. Now he couldn't. He felt helpless.

Jr. clenched his fist, the skin turned white almost instantly at his strength, and threw it at the bed. "Dammit," he whispered to himself. _I have to stop this, _he vowed. _I have to put an end to this. I can't live like this. I can't._

Very sluggishly, Jr. made his bed and dressed himself, trying to move fast but not finding the will to do so. His body was acting as if it had just given up already on it's own. He felt trapped in a body that wished to die to avoid the continuous heartbreak, with a mind that was driven by the resolve to fix it.

Slow feet led him to the bridge, where everyone was already gathered. There seemed to be talk about something, but Jr. didn't really care enough to pay that much attention until he was addressed.

"My," Shion said as she looked Jr. over a few times. His hair seemed like he hadn't bothered to tame it much, his eyes slightly swollen with sleep, as if they were scared to fully open. The clothes he wore were wrinkled, _did he sleep in them, _she wondered, _or...on them?_ Either way this carelessness wasn't usual for him. She quietly—and quickly—took a mental note of that. "You're up rather early. Did you not sleep well?"

"I slept fine," Jr. mumbled. Realizing the hostility in his voice, he cleared his throat and pulled at his collar. "The Captain's little _announcement _over the intercom woke me up."

Shion frowned. Allen did as well, knowing he needed a good night's sleep. "I'm sorry to hear that," answered Allen.

"Me too," Jr. said as he scratch his unkempt hair into further disarray. "Thanks for that by the way, Captain Matthews, I was finally dreaming a good dream for once."

"Huh?" Matthews called down. "Oh, Little Master! You're up a little early, aren't ya?"

Jr. rolled his eyes impatiently. "Yeah, yeah, so I hear. What was so important you figured you could disturb me for? It better be good or—"

Matthews chuckled and crossed his arms. While he did fear Jr. as his boss, he knew better than to be threaten by his words in the early morning. He'd forget it by breakfast. "Heh, why don't I let Hammer tell you the good news? Hammer!" Matthews called down to get his associates attention. "Tell the Little Master the good news!"

"Captain, I don't know if it even _is_ good news, but—but it _is_ news..."

"Well, spit it out, Hammer!"

"R-Right," Hammer cleared his throat. "The Elsa is picking up signals of a large spaceport approximately 6 hours from our current location. It's one we're not familiar with...seems to _me _to be like a...a purgatory of sorts. Gives me that vibe anyway," he shrugged.

"Gives you a vibe," the Captain scuffed lowly, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms over his muscular chest. "I'll give you a damn vibe!"

_A purgatory space port..._Jr. furrowed his brow. Could he use such a place to locate Monica? Something in him, something deep inside him, knew that if they found her, they could find chaos and KOS-MOS and Lost Jerusalem. _Dad did call her a lost key or whatever...maybe that's what he meant. _Jr. chuckled once. _Who the hell knows? That son of a bitch was so batshit insane..._

"What's funny?" Shion blinked at Jr., beginning to worry about his unusual behavior. Sometimes she wished she wasn't as observant as she was, but it always came in handy like cases such as this.

Jr. shook his head, still grinning. "Nothing, nothing. Just daydreaming."

Pursing her lips, Shion place a hand on her hips—a threatening stance for someone like Shion. It was accusing in nature and nearly slapped the grin right off of Jr.'s face. "No, it's something. What was it? You don't just chuckle at things, Jr., I know you better than that. What could it be that you wouldn't want to say it? You're one to _hard _to stop from sharing usually."

"Nah, nah, it's—I'm still half asleep, don't mind me."

"I don't believe you."

"Well, that's _your _problem," he scoffed as his grin returned.

Her eyes widened in disbelief. _This is definitely not like Jr. We're friends, he's said so many times...he'd never act this way towards me or any of his friends. _"What did you say...?"

Allen swiftly put an arm around Shion, letting out a nervous chuckle himself. A wave of heat washed over every inch of his body, and not just because he was touching the woman who had unknowingly held his lustful heart for years; he'd promised Jr. he'd keep his secret between just them. Being the loyal gentleman he is, his word is something someone can always trust. "H-Hey, don't pick on Jr. this early, hon. He's still groggy, I'm sure he's just...erm...slaphappy."

"Slaphappy?" Shion turned to throw a questioning look at her lover. Usually Allen would always be on her side of everything. "No. No, I've seen Jr. slaphappy. I've also seen him happy, sad, tired, drunk—all of which don't seem to apply right now," turning back to Jr., she leaned in close to him with squinting eyes full of arrest.

Jr. stuck out his tongue. "I'm not a set-in-stone person, Shion. I'm all over the map. I'm sorry if I offended you, but I'm perfectly fine. Honestly!"

Shion straightened herself back up, shoving her chin up in the air. "Well I still don't believe you."

In defeat, Jr. threw his arms up above his head and walked back to the cabin. _Women..._he thought. "Call me when we're about to dock. I'm going back to bed."

Shion couldn't help but giggle.

* * *

><p>The cabin door slid open and Allen entered the dark room. He could hear a small <em>thwup <em>every now and again. Once he turned the corner he saw Jr. laying in bed, tossing a ball up and down as he lay flat on his back. Loosening his shoulders, Allen smiled the faintest smile. He didn't have to wake him. Everyone knew waking Jr. from a slumber was very dangerous if you were in his vicinity.

"I thought you were going back to sleep," he said as he approached Jr.'s beside.

At first it seemed as though he didn't even realize Allen was there, even after he spoke. Focused but aware, he heard him walking, speaking, waiting. "Couldn't sleep."

"How come? If...if you don't mind me asking."

Catching the ball one last time, he held it in his hand close to his heart. "Her," he breathed out in an almost heartbroken tone.

"Shion?"

"_No_. Monica."

"Oh," Allen looked down at the floor in both embarrassment and...pity. "Right...what's on your mind? You can tell me. As you can see, I'm capable of not blabbing to Shion."

One side of Jr.'s mouth pulled up into a grin. "I appreciate that, Allen. But...I want to find her. I feel like—like—like I'm somehow gonna find her there. And I know—okay, this may sound crazy but bear with me," Jr. babbled on, wondering if he actually did sound crazy, "I _know _that if we find her, we can find chaos and KOS-MOS and Lost Jerusalem and bring Albedo back. I just _know_ it. I'm not just saying that so we can make that our primary objective. When we were first introduced to her, dad called her "_the missing key_" or something. I didn't really pay much mind to it then...but maybe she's the key to bringing it all back. Her past is so mysterious, full of interconnecting wires...she must know of a way! She has to know something!"

Allen's mouth sat agape, trying to find words. What Jr. was saying did seem a little farfetched, insane almost. Maybe he was being driven mad by desire and heartbreak...Allen certainly knew what that felt like. He could clearly remember the little "date" he and Shion had when she brought up eating with Kevin, when she walked over to Kevin's side to abandon her friends, everything they'd fought so hard for...so he decided Jr. wasn't so crazy. He was just driven. "O-okay. We should let the others know then."

"What? No!"

He raised a hand, calmly place it in front of Jr.'s face. "Yes. If it can help with our mission that's already in play, everyone should know. They could help, even keep a look out for her, Hammer could search the star cluster to see if she's anywhere nearby. Besides, I think Shion could use an explanation as to why you were so rude to her earlier."

"What? _Rude_?"

"You know what I mean," Allen gave a tight-faced head shake. "We should get going. We're in docking range. If you really want to do this, you need to go in there and tell everyone."

"Allen, I—I..."

"Hey, don't worry. I'll help you."

A bright, hopeful look flushed Jr.'s face. His heart fluttered with warmth. He felt alive, almost as if she was in reach, just barely out of grasp... "Thanks, Allen."

* * *

><p>Everyone was silent. Not a good feeling in the air for Jr. <em>Oh god,<em> he said with clenched teeth, wide eyes and clammy palms. _Oh god, Allen was wrong. God. Shit, why did I listen to him? That bumbling idiot just made me look like a madman—like my father. Oh...god..._

"Ehhhhhh," Captain Matthews was the first to speak. As usual, his arms were over his chest, his face looked displeased and his muscles were tense. Jr. didn't know what to make of what he might say next. "Hell, it's not like we have any other leads. chaos didn't really leave us with much of instructions on how to find an entire damn planet that's been extinct for god knows how long. I say why the hell not?"

Jr. was taken aback by his words. While grateful and a little shocked, Matthews only agreed because they literally had nothing else to go on. But he'd take it. Any inch he could take, he would, and he'd turn it into miles.

Nodding heads filling the bridge, Hammer began giving precaution instructions to everyone. "This is an unfamiliar place, everyone. We don't even know if this is part of our universe. There may be all kinds of freaks and weirdos here..."

"Just keep Jr.'s description of the girl in the front of your mind and you should be fine," Tony said. "You don't need to baby them, Hammer, they've been through worse. I'm pretty sure they can take care of themselves."

"No doubt," Jr. added. "We know what to do. We're prepared for battle at anytime."

"Alright then, kids! Pull up your big-boy pants and get in there then!"

"Roger!" Jr. excitedly took off for the exit, leaving Shion and Allen in his dust to catch up with him. His heart was already pounding.

* * *

><p>It felt like hours had passed. There was no information desk, there were to recognizable faces, not even clothing that could tell them when or where they were even close to. The crowds just seemed to be wandering aimlessly, often some would stop and look around, as if they were searching for something, or even someone. After a time, they couldn't even tell if it was the same faces they were seeing. It was huge, but with the crowd it felt cramped, like everyone was shoulder to shoulder.<p>

No one stood out. No one with fiery hair to match Jr.'s, no one whose waves felt even remotely familiar to Jr.'s, it was almost as if these weren't even _people_. Like none of this was real, it was just like a skipping tape, happening over and over and over and over again...

They had to fight some here and there, most of which was taken care of by Jr's. pistols. They moved with quick determination. He saw every battle as a roadblock, a burden getting in his way. It almost sent him into a rage, but he kept it cool by getting it all over with quickly so he could return to his search.

"This is hopeless," Shion said as they stood together in the center of the crowd, their presence not even bothering anyone for a moment. Nothing stopped because they were in the way, the people seemed to just adjust to them being there. It's as if they were on their own missions, just as determined as Jr. was. "We've been here for hours and we haven't found her. Now I can't be certain but I'm sure no one besides us is coming or going. It looks like they're all on a set path, like they can't be broken from their concentration unless they bump into us by mistake or find whatever it is they're looking for."

Allen sighed, saying what Shion was dancing around. "She's not here, Jr."

Closing his eyes, his grip on his pistols tightened, almost pulling the trigger. "No," he argued through gritted teeth. "We are _not _giving up."

"Jr.—"

"I said NO!" He whirled around on his heels, shooting his guns off into the distance. The bangs echoed off the walls and back to them. For a second he could feel himself losing it, the Red Dragon that sleeps inside him awakening. He suppressed it of course, but he could still feel it trying to creep out to his fingertips...to caress his guns and unleash such beautiful destruction...

He felt a tap on his shoulder. "Excuse me?"

"Huh?" He snapped around, hoping it was Monica. Instead he was face to face with a withered, bony finger, that came from a dark hooded figure, very small in stature and hunched. "Oh, ah—yeah?"

"I saw you with your little guns, you are very gifted. I am impressed with your gunman ship, young man."

Jr. timidly rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh...thank you."

"You know," the old woman kept going to keep his attention. "My sister used to pull moves just like that when I was younger. She was skilled with her guns as well, always showing me this and that. The stunts you pulled were no doubt an exact match to hers."

He squinted one of his eyes. "That's...not...possible, ma'am. There's only two people who know those tricks and I'm one of them." He politely smiled at the woman to hide his pain. The other was Monica.

"Oh, yes," the hood nodded at him. "I know, young man. And I also very well who the other person is. She taught you everything you know a long time ago."

"Ah—what?"

"I was just wondering if you had found her yet..." The old woman hesitated for a second, as if she had to momentarily search in her mind for something, something that put Jr. on edge. "If you had found Monica."

"What?" Jr. backed up a little bit, raising his guns slightly. He didn't really care if this was a wilting elderly woman, she knew something that was impossible for her to know. It must be a lie, someone messing with him. _Albedo? No. He'd be much more vulgar about it...Nigredo? But it can't be.._. "Tell me, how do you know about her? About Monica?"

The fragile being held up the same finger that had taped his shoulder, that looked like it was nothing but skin and bone, and reached into her cloak, into a pocket that lay on her chest. Her hands searched ever so gently around until she found her way to what she was looking for, and pulled it out with delicate movements—not too quick, not closing her hand too tightly. When her skeletal hand unrolled, it revealed what looked to be an ancient match to the earring dangling from Jr.'s ear, threatening to crumble at any second.

"Ngh!" That was the earring he gave Monica nearly two decades ago. They were a one of a kind match, none others like it. They were a gift from his father, saying they possessed the same "calming" abilities of his brother, Nigredo, and were to be used keep his Red Dragon calmed by insignificant agitations. He paid no mind to their purpose, and gave one to Monica as a way to keep them close, so she'd always think of him. There's no way this strange old woman could get a hold of one... "Are...you...?"

"No," the woman almost chuckled but still kept her serious tone. "I am not her. I come from a different world. I have been waiting centuries for you to possibly appear here in hopes of finding her."

"_Centuries_?" Allen gawked. He and Shion had been observing—_eavesdropping_, rather—silently in the background. "What exactly is this place?"

"Purgatory," Shion stated blatantly. "Correct? You said you'd been waiting here for centuries, who know how long others have been here? They wander and wait to complete a sole purpose before they can move on."

The mysterious elder shrugged. "Eh, something like that. You know we were never given an information pamphlet upon arrival—but listen, about Monica—"

"Is she okay? Is she hurt? Why hasn't she come looking for me? Has she forgotten me?"

"Nck, would ya calm down, boy? I'm an old woman, bombarding me with questions isn't going to get you anywhere faster than asking them slowly!"

An embarrassed Jr. looked down at his feet. He couldn't help but get excitable about things. He was still a child at heart in most ways. "S-sorry..."

"You'll have to excuse him," Shion moved forward, getting a little suspicious of the situation. "Who are you exactly? We never quite caught your name or how you know Monica—did I hear you say you were her sister?"

The woman pulled back her hood slightly. It gave a view to a very faded blue iris, and an iris of gray. "My name is Meena, you should know my mother, Yuna."

Jr. nodded softly. He remembered the soft woman whose face had faded for years in the past, but he still remembered her eyes; one blue, one green with the kindest voice and warmest presence. He recalled at one point being filled with envy and wishing someone like Yuna could be his mother. He never forgot those deep eyes. "I do, she was introduced to us as Monica's adoptive mother back on Miltia when we first met her. We never really saw much of her, but I could never forget her."

"I am the biological daughter of Yuna. I grew up with Monica as my adoptive sister. It was never official, we lived on an island where we didn't need papers to make someone our family, but she was my sister nonetheless. I have been waiting here for so long so you can go back and bring her with you to be with her. She must have a purpose with you. I've come with just enough black magic left in me to transport you to the past of our world."

Jr.'s heart sank. Something didn't add up. "Why not just bring her with you? She's immortal, she could've waited here—why not just come here alone? Did she not want to see me herself?"

"I...don't know where she is."

"You don't know where she is?" Shion interjected once again, raising a brow to the old woman. "How do you just lose a person on a tiny island? Especially one with as obnoxious hair as Jr."

"Long ago, a man in white appeared on our island one day. He wore a mask which he never removed, but he spoke to Monica alone. I have a feeling he came to deliver bad news to her about you. He vanished and left her devastated on the beach shore one sunny afternoon and she was never the same. Her days always seemed to be gloomy and full of sadness. Monica never really smiled much after that, she would wander around deep in thought or just stay at home and not leave her bed. I believe he told her you were dead—when, where and why, I cannot be sure of—but that could only be bad news enough to break her spirit."

"A man...in white?" Jr. felt a tinge in his right chest, like someone had gently swiped a glade across the empty space where his brothers heart once was. _Albedo...that must have been Albedo...once I killed him and he became a Testament...he must have traveled there to play a trick on Monica. He must have known she could...be the key...sick bastard..._ He felt like he was losing control, he started struggling to see straight.

"I'm not sure if my dear sister is alive or dead. She disappeared a few weeks after the cloaked man came and went. We never saw her again. I knew growing up that something bad had happened to her, that she had not fulfilled an important purpose elsewhere. Under the island's black mage I studied so I could take you to a time before that man appeared and destroyed our hearts. We would rather see her go to you than to...just..."

His eyes had unfocused. Monica had disappeared. She could be anywhere, she could be forever away from her, she could have...He shuddered. If Albedo still had a physical body, he would kiss his ass even if he wasn't mentally there to endure it. Jr. thought they were all friends—when they were younger, Monica played a maternal figure to Albedo when he started to lose himself. He just couldn't see why he would do that to her, to his own brother.

The woman held out the matching earring again. "I've been enchanting this relic with the power to take you to Old Spira for many moons. Once you are there, this one in my hand will perish, as well as the me that has existed in this place for so long. Hopefully you will correct the past for the better and save my sister. You have but one chance—do you wish to go?"

Of course he did, but he looked at his two friends behind him for guidance. They both nodded at him, shooing him away with their hands. "Go. I'm sure Albedo would want to see her, despite this being his doing...if we find him, he can explain himself with her present. We'll wait for you on the Elsa, it shouldn't take you too long, right? Even if it does, take as long as you did. This is important for you. For all of us."

His grin spread from ear to ear and nodded with one hard shake before turning to the old woman, to Meena. "Okay. I'm ready. I'll go."

"Make sure she sees the earring you're wearing, Rubedo. It may get misplaced in translation, but it's the key to getting her to believe it's you."

"Gotcha."

Unfurling her hand at a greater length, it began to glow in her hand, waiting for Jr.'s touch. He was hesitant only at first before laying his fingertips gingerly atop the earring before his body began to tingle, glow and feel as if it were liquid. Before he could blink again, everything went black.

He was gone.

And then he saw white...

The earring in Meena's hand dissolved after his disappearance. With a sigh, the old woman vanished as well.

* * *

><p>HI HELLO THREE OR MORE GIVE OR TAKE YEARS LATER<p>

Wow, I haven't written anything in 3 or so years. I feel like I'm back to sucky-mode again, oh well! Also I have no idea why my thirteen-year-old self decided to completely abandon Monica's orignal backstory from DC2 and tie in some far fetched FFX type shit. I apologize, but I just went with it. I hope you think it was worth the wait anyway!

You look nice today and I think you're very neat. Enjoy!


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